Sources in the Christian Democratic CDA and the conservative VVD have told Radio Netherlands Worldwide that expansion of the EU is no longer taboo for the Freedom Party (PVV). In the ongoing negotiations on a CDA-VVD minority cabinet supported by the PVV, Geert Wilders’ party will have to promise ‘to not send the government home’ when the Netherlands votes in favour of Croatia’s accession to the European Union.

The EU is currently involved in negotiations with Croatia, Macedonia and Turkey about European integration. Of these three, only Croatia is likely to join the union - which currently has 27 member states - in the short term, possibly as early as 2011.

In recent European and national election campaigns the PVV was consistently fiercely opposed to further expansion of the EU with countries such as Croatia, Macedonia and Turkey. At the time, PVV leader in the European parliament Barry Madlener said: “We will not admit another country”. The right-wing populist party even argued for “throwing out” member states Bulgaria and Romania - who joined the union in 2007 – because of widespread corruption.

However as a member of the proposed centre-right coalition, further expansion of the Union is no longer taboo for the PVV. Other Western Balkan states will eventually also become aspiring members. Socialist Party leader in the European parliament Dennis de Jong expects the PVV will want to exclude countries like Bosnia and Albania. “These are predominantly Islamic countries”. Via a spokesperson, European PVV leader Madlener says that for the time being he “does not want to make a statement” on the issue.

© Radio Netherlands Worldwide